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Hanseatic City of Lübeck

Hanseatic City of Lübeck

Lübeck – the former capital and Queen City of the Hanseatic League – was founded in the 12th century and prospered until the 16th century as the major trading centre for northern Europe. It has remained a centre for maritime commerce to this day, particularly with the Nordic countries. Despite the damage it suffered during the Second World War, the basic structure of the old city, consisting mainly of 15th- and 16th-century patrician residences, public monuments (the famous Holstentor brick gate), churches and salt storehouses, remains unaltered.

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

Founded in 1143 on the Baltic coast of northern Germany, Lübeck was from 1230 to 1535 one of the principal cities of the Hanseatic League, a league of merchant cities which came to hold a monopoly over the trade of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The plan of the Old Town island of Lübeck, with its blade-like outline determined by two parallel routes of traffic running along the crest of the island, dates back to the beginnings of the city and attests to its expansion as a commercial centre of Northern Europe. To the west, the richest quarters with the trading houses and the homes of the rich merchants are located, and to the east, small commerces and artisans. The very strict socio-economic organization emerges through the singular disposition of the Buden, small workshops set in the back courtyards of the rich hares, to which access was provided through a narrow network of alleyways (Gänge).

Lübeck has remained an urban monument characteristic of a significant historical structure even though the city was severely damaged during the Second World War. Almost 20% of it were destroyed, including the most famous monumental complexes- the Cathedral of Lübeck, the churches of St Peter and St Mary and especially the Gründungsviertel, the hilltop quarter where the gabled houses of the rich merchants clustered. Selective reconstruction has permitted the replacement of the most important churches and monuments.

Omitting the zones that have been entirely reconstructed, the World Heritage site includes three areas of significance in the history of Lübeck. The first area extends from the Burgkloster in the north to the quarter of St Aegidien in the south. The Burgkloster, a Dominican convent built in fulfilment of a vow made at the battle of Bornhöved (1227), contains the original foundations of the castle built by Count Adolf von Schauenburg on the Buku isthmus. The Koberg site preserves an entire late 18th-century neighbourhood built around a public square bordered by two important monuments, the Jakobi Church and the Heilig-Geist-Hospital. The sections between the Glockengiesserstrasse and the Aegidienstrasse retain their original layout and contain a remarkable number of medieval structures.

Between the two large churches that mark its boundaries - the Petri Church to the north and the Cathedral to the south - the second area includes rows of superb Patrician residences from the 15th and 16th centuries. The enclave on the left bank of the Trave, with its salt storehouses and the Holstentor, reinforces the monumental aspect of an area that was entirely renovated at the height of the Hansa epoch (about 1250 to 1400), when Lübeck dominated trade in Northern Europe.

Located at the heart of the medieval city, the third area around St Mary’s Church, the Town Hall, and the Market Square bear the tragic scars of the heavy bombing suffered during the Second World War.

Criterion (iv): As outstanding examples of types of buildings, the most authentic areas of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck exemplify the power and the historic role of the Hanseatic League.

Integrity

The preserved quarters of the Old Town show in their unity the medieval structure of the Hanseatic Town and represent a high-ranking European monument. The overall impression of the Old Town is reinforced by individual architectural highlights of ecclesiastical and profane character, whereas the combined effect is revealed through the unique town silhouette with the seven high church towers.

Authenticity

The heart of the Old Town is surrounded by water on all sides and, partly, by embankments and park areas. Despite the damage it suffered during the Second World War, the basic structure of the Old City, consisting mainly of 15th and 16th century Patrician residences, public monuments (the famous Holstentor brick gate), churches and salt storehouses, remains unaltered. Up to the present day, its layout is clearly recognisable as a harmonious, complete masterpiece and its uniquely uniform silhouette is visible from far.

Protection and management requirements

The laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Schleswig-Holstein guarantee the consistent protection of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck. The large number of historic monuments and the Old Town island are protected by the Act on the Protection and Conservation of Monuments in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein.

The Monument Preservation Plan is the basis for town planning and specific architectural interventions. Furthermore, the historic centre of Lübeck is protected by a preservation statute and a design statute; even the quarters of the late 19th century surrounding the Old Town are protected by preservation statutes. The regional development programme of the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein ensures the protection of the view axes and the silhouette of the World Heritage property.

The City of Lübeck is responsible for the management of the World Heritage property. The coordination between the stakeholders is organised by a World Heritage commissioner within the municipal structure in order to duly indicate potential threats to the Outstanding Universal Value and to ensure the integration of relevant issues into the planning procedures, an integrative monitoring approach and a sustainable development of the World Heritage property. Complemented by the Management Plan, this differentiated protective system guarantees an efficient preservation of the historical substance of the property. To protect and sustain the Outstanding Universal Value, a buffer zone and additional view axes outside the buffer zone are in place to ensure the long-term protection and sustained preservation of the important views and of the structural integrity.

In addition, external experts meet regularly in consultative bodies to monitor quality and discuss suitable solutions in town planning and construction practice.

Regarding the tourism and visitor management, a tourism development concept (TDC) forms the basis for strategic activities.